Purpose

The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is committed to facilitating access to its Colleges’ instruction, communication, and business processes for the broadest possible audience. CCCS strives to employ principles of Universal Design and the use of the World Wide Web Consortium’s WCAG 2.0 standards in the design, development, implementation, and enhancement of its web-based information and services.

Scope

This procedure applies to web-based information and services which includes, but is not limited to, websites, instructional materials, and online services that are developed or maintained by the Community Colleges and all entities within CCCS. Colleges must ensure that web-based information is accessible for use by faculty, staff, students, prospective students and the public. This procedure does not apply to unauthorized web pages published by students or employees, which are not used to conduct College business or instructional activities. Furthermore, this procedure does not apply to third-party content linked to a College or System website unless the College or System uses the third-party website or web content to allow members of the public to participate in or benefit from the College or System’s services, programs, or activities.

Procedure

Colleges and the System will be responsible for having a written web accessibility plan in place by December 31, 2014. The College Presidents shall designate individual(s) with the authority to ensure accountability and compliance.

The plans must specify the date in which all official College web-based information will conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG) – Level AA. The plan may distinguish dates between creating new material versus revising and converting current web-based information, also known as legacy information. Colleges and System Office should take into consideration their budgets, staffing resources, and training needs when determining these dates.

Colleges and System will make their top priority the systems visible to the most users with highest regard given to public-facing and student-facing systems. The lowest priority will be those systems which are being phased out in the near future.

If a College or the System has a circumstance where a specific application and/or program cannot meet these requirements, a written request for an exception to this procedure may be submitted to the System President or her/his designee.

Vendor Agreements

Colleges and the System shall purchase from vendors who show that, in good faith, they are working towards complying with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG), as appropriate for the services they provide, unless an extraordinary circumstance exists. Any current agreements already in existence with a College or the System are exempt from this procedure.

Revising this Procedure

CCCS reserves the right to change any provision or requirement of this procedure at any time and the change shall become effective immediately.